Fed court stops Tamil family deportation

The federal government has been ordered to stop the deportation of two members of a Tamil family fighting to remain in Australia, but there's no guarantee the rest of the family won't be forcibly removed.

"It's a good result and we're all taking a big sigh of relief," family friend Simone Cameron told AAP.

But Priya's husband Nadesalingam and their one-year-old daughter Tharunicaa could still be deported since the court injunction doesn't include them. Lawyers have only ever lodged cases relating to the mother and eldest daughter.

"We would like to have that assurance from the Department of Home Affairs and from (immigration minister) Peter Dutton, but we don't have it yet," Ms Cameron said.

The department said it does not comment on "individual detention arrangements or potential removal operations".

But the department also said foreigners who have exhausted all legal avenues, and who don't depart voluntarily, are subject to removal.